The present invention pertains to an article of manufacture, such as a portfolio, desk folder, ring binder, wallet or similar business accessory article having an improved graphic image printed thereon by an image transfer process which includes transferring the image from a source image to a sheet of flexible material, such as vinyl, providing a protective coating or laminate over the image and adhering the image sheet to the article which may include a debossing operation.
Business accessory and gift articles, such as portfolios, desk folders, ring binders, wallets, luggage tags, keyfobs, memo pads and similar articles, are typically fabricated of a soft, durable material such as fabrics, vinyl, leather or other synthetic leather-like materials. The application of ornamental designs with graphic images or other pictorial features on the surface of the leather or synthetic leather-like material of the article is important and certain developments in the production of promotional and gift articles of the general type discussed above have been carried out. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,762,375 and 5,961,150, both to Randy A. Kogutt and Michael A. Kogutt, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, are directed to important advancements in the art of manufacturing articles of the type described herein. The subject matter of both of the above-mentioned patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The above mentioned patents provide an article having a graphic image disposed in a xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d of the cover or other outer surface, for example, of an article such as a desk folder or portfolio as described in detail in the patents. However, such a xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d may also be provided as a raised or depressed surface of the material of the article and an image placed in the xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d by providing the image on a separate sheet of material and adhering the image sheet so provided to the material of the article within the xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d. Alternatively, the window may be simultaneously formed with application of a sheet or substrate bearing the image to the material of the article which is to be decorated with the image.
There is also a desire in the manufacture of articles of the type in question to be able to conveniently provide a virtually infinite variety of images to be placed on the article and to make the images aesthetically pleasing and durable as well as economical to produce when applied to relatively large quantities of articles of the type in question. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.
The present invention provides an improved article of manufacture, such as a business accessory or gift item, including but not limited to a portfolio, desk folder, wallet, other articles mentioned hereinbefore or a similar article, which includes an improved graphic image placed thereon which is aesthetically pleasing, durable, inexpensive to manufacture and adapted to be easily produced in various quantities.
The present invention also provides an improved method of making an article of the type referred to hereinabove wherein a pre-selected graphic image is transferred to a flexible sheet or substrate. Single or multiple images may be transferred to the flexible sheet or substrate. If the images are relatively small, multiple images are printed on relatively large sheets of substrate material. Individual image sheets may then be cut out of the larger sheet preferably to the contours of the images themselves and are applied, respectively, to a surface of an article which is to bear the image, preferably using a debossing die and, preferably using radio frequency (RF) sealing or bonding of the image sheet to the surface of the article.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention a selected image may be generated by copying the image from a photograph or print of the image to a digital processor or computer wherein the image may be adjusted for size, quality and color and the adjusted image is then transferred one or multiple times to an image receiving sheet using a printer including, preferably, a multicolor inkjet type printer. However, a thermal ribbon printer or an electrostatic printer may also be used to provide single or plural images on the sheet. Individual image sheets are then cut out of a larger sheet bearing one or multiple images.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention an improved image is provided for application to an article of the type described herein, which image is provided on a sheet or substrate which is adapted to receive a graphic image in accordance with a method as described herein. The image is preferably provided on an opaque flexible sheet of material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), having a suitable coating thereon to allow ink adherence, if required. For purposes of discussion herein, the term image xe2x80x9csheetxe2x80x9d or image xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d refers to the underlying sheetlike member on which the image resides and one or more image sheets may be cut from a larger sheet of the same material on which one or more images are formed. Still further, the image sheet may be laminated with a clear vinyl overlay or provided with a transparent or xe2x80x9cclearxe2x80x9d coating to preserve the quality and durability of the image, all in accordance with the present invention.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the invention, an article of the type described hereinabove is provided with an improved graphic image by adhering a prepared flexible sheet or substrate, including the image printed thereon, to a surface of the article using, preferably, radio frequency (RF) bonding or xe2x80x9cweldingxe2x80x9d of the image sheet to the article. The bonding may take place on a surface of the article which has been previously lightly debossed, or the debossing may take place simultaneously with bonding of the image sheet to the article. A debossing die may be positioned in a so-called face up orientation to allow an operator to accurately place the image sheet on the debossing die. Alternatively, the debossing die may be operated in a face down orientation to lightly deboss the surface of the member to receive the image sheet whereby an indentation is provided to act as a guide for accurate placement of the image sheet on the surface of the article. Still further, other methods of accurately placing the image sheet on the surface of the article may be used, such as concentrated light beam xe2x80x9cpointerxe2x80x9d type guides or templates which can be used to place the image sheet accurately on the surface of the article and then moved out of the way prior to the step of sealing the image sheet to the member.
The image sheet is then permanently adhered or sealed to the member which will form at least part of the article preferably using a debossing die and an RF sealing apparatus. Accordingly, an important advantage of the present invention is that the process of adhering an image to an article of the type described herein permits decorating or adding images to previously completed products. Of course, image sheets may be adhered to larger sheets, such as the cover sheet of an article of manufacture and whereby the cover sheet is then further finished to complete the fabrication of the article. Accordingly, one advantage of the method of the present invention is that the image transfer or adherence process is adaptable for otherwise finished articles or for component parts of articles.
Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above mentioned features and advantages of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawing.